The A-to-Z of Yeovil's History

by Bob Osborn

yeovil people

Frederick Dobell

Watch and
Clockmaker of
Hendford

Frederick
Dobell was born
in Yeovil in
1843, the son of
Watch & Clock
Maker
Robert Dobel
and his second
wife Mary Ann
née Hardy,
but by the time
of the 1851
census Mary had
died and Robert
was listed as a
widower. He was
living in
Hendford
(see Gallery
below), with
children
John
and
Ellen from his
first marriage,
together with Frederick and a
domestic
servant. Robert
gave his
occupation as a
Silversmith and
both John and
Ellen were
listed as his
Assistants.

In the 1861
census 53-year
old Robert and
19-year old
Frederick,
together with a
domestic
servant, were
listed at
Hendford
(actually at
No 1 Hendford) and
both father and
son gave their
occupations as
Jewellers.

Robert Dobel
died in the
spring of 1868
aged 61 and the
business was
carried on by
Frederick.

On 26 December
1868 Frederick
married
Charlotte Cook
(1843-1920)
at
Holy Trinity church,
Yeovil. They
were to have
four children;
Robert
(1870-1955),
Frederick
William
(1871-1952),
Frances (b1874)
and Herbert
(b1877). In the
1871 census
Frederick and
Charlotte,
together with
11-month old son
Robert and a
domestic servant
were listed at 1
Hendford,
originally his
father's home
but now
Frederick's
home, workshop
and shop
premises.
Frederick listed
his occupation
as Jeweller.

The situation
was little
changed by the
time of the 1881
census except
that all four
children were
now present, as
well as
Charlotte's
sister Darkess
Cook. Frederick
gave his
occupation as
"Jeweller
employing 1
man".

In August 1889 Frederick
retired and,
together with
Charlotte,
Frances and
Herbert, moved
to Torquay,
Devon. Charlotte
died in Torquay
in the spring of
1920 aged 77 and
Frederick died
there in the
summer of 1931,
aged 88.

gallery

The notice of
the marriage of
Frederick and
Charlotte in the
6 January 1869
edition of the
Taunton Courier.

An advertisement
(one of many)
placed in the 22
January 1869
edition of the
Western Gazette
announcing
Frederick's
takeover of his
late father
Robert's
business.

This
photograph, one
half of a
stereoscopic
pair, was taken
around 1870 and
looks down
Hendford with
High Street
and the shop of
Linsey Denner at
extreme left.
Next to Denner's
was the home of
clock maker
Robert Dobel
but by the time
of this
photograph the
home, workshop
and shop
premises of his
son Frederick
Dobel. The
imposing
building at
right is
Stuckey's Bank.

An advertisement
placed in the 16
July 1869
edition of the
Western Gazette
by Frederick
Dobell. It is
most interesting
that the first
line of the
advertisement
says
"Established
nearly a
Century" which,
since his father
Robert was not
in Yeovil until
around 1830,
implies the
family business
was started by
Thomas Dobel
(perhaps
Frederick's
grandfather or
great-uncle) or
the mysterious E
Dobel - both of
whom are known
to have been in
Yeovil in the
1770s.

A joined oak
longcase clock,
the enamelled
dial signed
"Dobel, Yeovil"
with a
subsidiary
seconds dial and
date aperture.
The hood has a
swan-neck
pediment and
central eagle
and ball finial.
It is a thirty
hour movement
striking on a
bell and overall
stands 81"
(206cm) high. It
is most likely
that this clock
was made by
Frederick Dobel
since his
father's work
was usually
signed with his
full name
"Robert Dobel,
Yeovil".

An incredibly
verbose
advertisement by
Frederick Dobell
from the 29
December 1871
edition of the
Western Gazette.

By the time of
the
advertisement
from Whitby's
Yeovil Almanack
Advertiser of
1882, Frederick
was claiming the
business had
been
"Established
Upwards Two
Centuries" -
unlikely?

Frederick
Dobell's final
clearance sale
(with a discount
of 8s in the
pound) of his
stock advertised
in the 5 July
1889 edition of
the Western
Gazette. The
following month
he retired and
moved his family
to live in
Torquay.

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